Scientists who study, measure, and weigh the things people throw away. Their goal is to discover better ways of dealing with garbage.

Photodegradable:

A type of plastic that is broken down by the sun's ultraviolet rays.

Biodegradable:

Able to decompose or be broken down by the earth's natural elements. Biodegradable materials will rot and decompose over time.

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DECEMBER 2011

IN THIS ISSUE

New Horizons News: Happy Holidays from New Horizons

Environmental Policy Changes: Phase I Requirements

In the Know: Most Frequently Cited OSHA Standards

NEW HORIZONS NEWS

Happy Holidays from New Horizons

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY CHANGES

Phase I Environmental Site Assesstment Requirements

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued a revision, SOP 50 10 5(D), to the environmental due diligence requirements of the agency's 7(a) and Certified Development Company (CDC) loan programs. Each year, the SBA updates the program to address issues that have arisen over the course of the year. This revision was put into effect October 1, 2011.

What this means to you:

Lenders participating in the agency's 7(a) or CDC loan programs must follow the new requirements set under SOP 50 10 5(D). Lenders should also ensure they are working with environmental professionals who are aware of, and follow, the new requirements.

Some of the significant modifications to the requirements under SOP 50 10 5 (D) include:

Gas Stations:

Requirements now also apply to any "commercial fueling facility", in addition to gas stations.

The Environmental Professional must now determine whether the gas station is in compliance with all state requirements, if any, pertaining to tank and equipment testing.

Car Washes:"Car Wash Only" facilities may now begin with a Transaction Screen. They are no longer required to start with a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment.

Special Care Facilities:

"Residential Care Facilities" are those that are occupied by children. If the facility was constructed prior to 1980, it must undergo lead paint and lead in drinking water testing.

Multi-Unit Building:

A definition of a Multi-Unit Building was added. A Multi-Unit Building now means any non-industrial, building that is comprised of four or more individual units.

Indemnification:

The Third Party Indemnitor cannot be the borrower or operating company.

Every year OSHA publishes a list of the top 10 most frequently cited standards following inspections of worksites by federal OSHA. OSHA publishes this list to alert employers about these commonly cited standards so they can take steps to find and fix recognized hazards adddressed in these and other standards before OSHA shows up.

The following were the top 10 most frequently cited standards in fiscal year 2011 (October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011):

Fall protection, construction(29 CFR 1926.501): Fall protection must be provided at four feet in general industry, five feet in maritime, and six feet in construction. However, regardless of the fall distance, fall protection must be provided when working over dangerous equipment and machinery.

Scaffolding, general requirements, construction(29 CFR 1926.451): In a Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) study, 72% of workers injured in scaffold accidents attributed the accident either to the planking or support giving way, or to the employee slipping or being struck by a falling object.

Hazard communication standard, general industry(29 CFR 1910.1200): OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) requires the development and dissemination of information about the identities and hazards of chemicals. All employers with hazardous chemicals in their workplaces must have labels and MSDSs for their exposed workers, and train them to handle the chemicals appropriately.

Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), general industry(29 CFR 1910.147): Workers injured on the job from exposure to hazardous energy lose an average of 24 workdays for recuperation. In a study conducted by the United Auto Workers (UAW), 20% of the fatalities (83 of 414) that occurred among their members between 1973 and 1995 were attributed to inadequate hazardous energy control procedures specifically, lockout/tagout procedures.

Electrical, wiring methods, components and equipment, general industry(29 CFR 1910.305): Working with electricity can be dangerous. Engineers, electricians, and other professionals work with electricity directly, including working on overhead lines, cable harnesses, and circuit assemblies. Others, such as office workers and sales people, work with electricity indirectly and may also be exposed to electrical hazards.

Powered industrial trucks, general industry(29 CFR 1910.178): Each year, tens of thousands of injuries related to powered industrial trucks (PIT), or forklifts, occur in US workplaces. Many employees are injured when lift trucks are inadvertently driven off loading docks, lifts fall between docks and an unsecured trailer, they are struck by a lift truck, or when they fall while on elevated pallets and tines. Most incidents also involve property damage, including damage to overhead sprinklers, racking, pipes, walls, and machinery.

Ladders, construction(29 CFR 1926.1053): The US Department of Labor (DOL) lists falls as one of the leading causes of traumatic occupational death, accounting for eight percent of all occupational fatalities from trauma. Any time a worker is at a height of four feet or more, the worker is at risk and needs to be protected.

Electrical systems design, general requirements, general industry(29 CFR 1910.303): Electricity has long been recognized as a serious workplace hazard. OSHA's electrical standards are designed to protect employees exposed to dangers such as electric shock, electrocution, fires, and explosions.

Machines, general requirements, general industry (29 CFR 1910.212): Moving machine parts have the potential to cause severe workplace injuries, such as crushed fingers or hands, amputations, burns, or blindness. Safeguards are essential for protecting workers from these preventable injuries. Any machine part, function, or process that may cause injury must be safeguarded.